Russekort
Russekort are visiting cards kept by graduating students of secondary schools in Norway. They are highly popular among little boys as collector's objects.
Students in their final year of secondary school (usually at age 19) are called russ. Between the 1st and the 17th of May, just before final exams, they explode in vigorous celebration of the end of school. Although many celebrate responsibly, russ are in general infamous for their irresponsibility, boisterousness, and excessive drinking.
Among little boys, however, their popularity is undiminished year after year. From about age five boys learn to spot russ walking by, which is easy since they are always dressed in strong colors such as red, blue, green, or black, according to their educational direction. Boys collect russekort indiscriminately, often not caring if they have dozens of cards from the same russ. This craze recurs every year and culminates on 17 May, Norway's constitution day, when russ run around the children's parade getting rid of their last cards to the delight of expectant boys. Boys grow less interested in russekort as adolescence approaches.
Russekort can be ordered from firms specializing in equipment for russ, and typically contain a picture (sometimes from childhood), name, address, phone number, club membership, and motto. Sometimes the personal information fields (except for club membership) contain truthful and relevant information. The motto varies between the light-hearted and the coarse, though it is unlikely that boys who can read will grasp the dirty talk.
See also
External links
- Russ (Wikipedia article)
